Tempura

     Tempura is a deep fried fish that was actually an influence from Portuguese sailors. It all came from a religious tradition of not eating meat on Fridays and it eventually found its way to the Japanese kitchen. 

     Who could resist the temptation of this succulent dish? I know I could not. Just the thought of biting through that crispy batter down to the tender meat of the shrimp can surely make anyone’s mouth water like a fire hydrant. The natural taste of the shrimp with the batter connects so well with its soy ginger sauce captivating the real culture of Japan emphasizing on enhancing one’s natural flavors. Tempura is a real indulgence in its simplest way, it would be a sin not to try it. Here's how you can make the dish for yourself:

Ingredients:
93.75 g sweet potato, peeled sliced into ¼ inch rounds
250 g Shrimp, shelled and deveined (leave tail)
187.5 g Squid, clean and score
187.5 g cream dory, cut into bite sized pieces
275 g Squash, deseeded, peeled, cut into ¼ in bite sized slices
95 g shiitake mushrooms, cut in half
6.25 g mint leaves, remove touch stems
312.5 ml vegetable oil
250 g flour
37.5 ml lemon juice
375 ml Water
1.5 Tsp Dashi no moto
93.75 ml dark soy sauce
93.75 ml mirin
50 g egg yolk
500 ml ice water
250 g sifted flour
300 g grated white radish
8.75 g grated ginger

Procedure:
* prepare your seafood and vegetables if there is any

For the shrimp, flatten it my cutting diagonal slits at the bottom.

1.) Preheat oil.
2.) Combine soy sauce, mirin, dashi, water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and strain to clarify.

3.) Combine egg yolks and ice water in a bowl and mix gently. Add flour all at once and stir briefly. Bather should be rough and only half mixed.
4.) Dredge vegetables (including mint) one after another in flour, dip in the batter to coat loosely, and deep fry. Fill no more than one-third the pan to maintain constant oil temperature. Skim extra batter and debris frequently.
5.) Raise oil temperature slightly and fry seafood the same way.
6.) Line serving plates with absorbent paper and serve fried pieces as soon as possible. Dip tempura in sauce seasoned with ginger or lemon juice salted to taste.




- Marvin Ang